[2] Here's general comment, mostly attached to Game of Chess and The Lost, but spanning all the Unabeauverse story arcs containing Faramir. One of my favorite scenes in GoC is when Imrahil starts berating Denethor's actions towards his family (I think it's Ch. 12) and Faramir tells him to stop - that all his life it has torn him in two to hear his father repeatedly maligned by others, and yet he loves and respects Denethor as his father despite it all, and finds things to admire in the man. It was really a moving moment for me, and highlighted a whole facet and feeling of Faramir that I'd not seen explored anywhere else. You talked of it more in Lost I know (and elsewhere, I'm sure, but I can't think specifics right now), where he wonders why people forget that he is Denethor's son, too, and that he is not eager to forget that heritage no matter others' opinions of his father.

[3] Denise wrote: It was really a moving moment for me, and highlighted a whole facet and feeling of Faramir that I'd not seen explored anywhere else.

Thank you, Denise, that was a really important moment of the story, I think. I intuited it from Tolkien's description of Faramir in letter #214: "modest, fair-minded and scrupulously just, and very merciful". I think that above all Faramir would want to extend that mercy and justice to understanding Denethor, particularly after the pyre.

It's an important moment in his relationship with Imrahil too, I think: where he allows himself to take control, rather than letting Imrahil guide or speak for him. And speaking and silence are important motifs in the story too.

You talked of it more in Lost I know (and elsewhere, I'm sure, but I can't think specifics right now), where he wonders why people forget that he is Denethor's son, too, and that he is not eager to forget that heritage no matter others' opinions of his father.

I think I'm probably side-stepping writing about this, perhaps in a scene or story between Aragorn and Faramir.

[4] It's an important moment in his relationship with Imrahil too, I think: where he allows himself to take control, rather than letting Imrahil guide or speak for him. And speaking and silence are important motifs in the story too.

Oh for sure! The whole exchange in Faramir's office between them - where he basically tells Imrahil to mind his own business - through the end of the story, it was facinating watching this alteration of their relationship. I am looking forward to seeing more interactions between them, set after Faramir has come into his own as father and husband. Maybe that first visit to Dol Amroth with the kids? (hint hint)Is that when Eowyn sees the sea for the first time?

I don't know if I've said it before, but I think that GoC really did a good job of capturing the potential pitfalls within marriage: not trusting, not talking, not forgiving, the knowledge of when to speak and when to be silent. Not realizing that you may be talking but are each saying different things, or the meaning is taken completely (or subtly) wrong. Poor Faramir - after growing up with such a poor example of father and husband, no wonder it takes him a while to get on track. Everyone has the adjustment period; theirs was just tougher than usual.

[5] In one of Isabeau's blogs, Altariel wrote: And I'd like to find out more about to what extent the website and the various LJ listings are any use for readers.

I used the web site extensively when I first discovered yours and Isabeau's writing, because things were well categorized and pretty much in chronological order, and you included Dwim's contributions. Three authors in one place, plus you had links right to the stories! It beat out trying to sort through your stories on ff.net by a mile. It was a wonderful introduction. I'll still go there or to ff.net for something that's not in the LJ-posted timeline, but it definitely got me off on the right foot into the Unabeauverse.

But now that I know what to watch for, I typically scan TFF for your new stories, or go to the LJ list if I want to reread something. (Since the Best-Loved Sons story arc is incorporated into the Unabeauverse timeline, the latter LJ post is the one I use.) The LJ list is concise and actually fits my preferences best - I like to read things in chronological order, with no regard to actual order written or adaptations in writing style. Having it all ordered in a timeline, with links, is awesome! I would say that I wish I'd had it when I first started reading your stories, except that some things don't fit well there (the drabbles, Silm fics, etc.) and I would have hated to have missed those in any way. The website does list all your Mithrils, too, which is definitely worthy to note somehow, someway.

[6] Rereading Spirits of the House brought up some questions: When Finduilas' ghost is showing Denethor the visions of the future, he looks into the palantir and sees the burning hands (his) and then a flash of green light. What does that light symbolize?

Adrahil has to be one of my favorite minor characters in the Unabeauverse. Are there any plans to write more about him and his family – maybe set when Finduilas and Imri are young (the pre-rogue stage), or when Nimrien and Tirathiel first come to stay with them?

I would also love to see more of Finduilas and Denethor when their marriage was young and still good. The scene in SotH when he went over to talk to her in Dol Amroth was wonderful. What did he say? Was that the first time he'd really seen her as an adult?

[7] Slow again in responses, Denise, my apologies. I'm nearing the end of term and my teaching schedule gets very time-consuming.

Denise wrote: When Finduilas' ghost is showing Denethor the visions of the future, he looks into the palantir and sees the burning hands (his) and then a flash of green light. What does that light symbolize?

That symbolizes the Elfstone, Elessar in his/its most symbolic sense, and so it's meant to be showing him the possibility of a change in his circumstance and so give him hope (Aragorn has healing hands).

All the images in that paragraph are meant to be showing Denethor different ways of interpreting what he is seeing in the palantir, transforming them from images of despair to images of hope; so the black sails have an edge of silver (silver and black being the colours associated with Numenor); the Nazgul glimmer gold (suggesting Eagles); the burning hands are transformed with the green fire which symbolizes Aragorn and the restoration of the Kingdom.

Adrahil has to be one of my favorite minor characters in the Unabeauverse. Are there any plans to write more about him and his family

I don't have any plans to write more about him. I think I'd probably write about Ecthelion, Thorongil and Denethor first.

I would also love to see more of Finduilas and Denethor when their marriage was young and still good. The scene in SotH when he went over to talk to her in Dol Amroth was wonderful. What did he say? Was that the first time he'd really seen her as an adult?

Thank you, I like that little scene too! Yes, I think that's the first time he consciously registers that she is a very beautiful woman. It's when he falls in love. I think he doesn't say anything more than to ask her to dance and compliment her on her appearance, but I think you can imagine lots of shining or smouldering eyes and electricity as their hands touch, that kind of thing :-)

[8] Denise wrote: I am looking forward to seeing more interactions between them, set after Faramir has come into his own as father and husband. Maybe that first visit to Dol Amroth with the kids? (hint hint)Is that when Eowyn sees the sea for the first time?

Yes, that's when she sees the sea for the first time. Something has been vaguely coalescing in the back of my mind on those lines for some time now. If I ever get it to take proper shape, I know it will be a very summery story.

And thank you for your comments on AGOC. Yes, they miscommunicate so badly - everything seems to come out wrong, or not come out at all. I think both of them are struggling to understand what it is that they're meant to do: Eowyn lost her parents early and I imagine her having quite an isolated position, by virtue of both gender and rank.

[9] Thank you for all this information about using the website, etc., Denise, it's massively useful. I don't update the site as often as I should: partly because I'm wondering whether the layout has become a bit unwieldly (we were both more prolific than I anticipated!), partly because I seemed to end up spending last year half-asleep after finishing up two very big projects. But I'd like to get them working again, and knowing if and how people are using them is really helpful.

Please don't feel you need to apologize, Altariel - as much as all of us wish that you and Isabeau and Dwim and Soledad (etc. etc.) could just write and blog full time, your readers realize you have day jobs! Thanks for taking the time to share all these details with us.